Helical separable fastener



NOV. 28, 1933. SUNDBACK I 1,937297 HELIGAL SEPARABLE FAS TENER Original Filed Aug. 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

Q 2 INVEETOR ATTORNEY Nov. 23, 1933.

G. SUNDBACK HELICAL SEPAR ABLE FASTENER Origifial Filed Au fzz. 1924 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mv TOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UNI-TED S'lATE S 1.937.297 HELICAL SEPABABLE FASTENER Gideon Sundback, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Hookless Fastener Company, Meadville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 22, 1924, Serial No. 733,488

Renewed July 11, 1933 24 Claims.

This invention relates to spiral separable fasteners and has for its object to provide a fastener of the sliding separable type wherein the flexibility heretofore provided by separate interlocking members on each stringer is retained, while employing a continuous flexible member on both stringers having a plurality of interlocking portions, which are progressively locked or unlocked by a slider.

In one embodiment of the invention herein shown, each stringer is provided with a continuous flexible member composed of a helical or coiled wire with corresponding portions of each coil provided with interlocking surfaces, and the wire helices so arranged on each stringer as to interlock when interengaged in parallel relation. The coils are preferably flattened to provide the desired thinness of .the device as a whole, and the tape stringers are penetrated by the inner portions of the coils for the purpose of attachment. Such a device has the requisite lateral flexibility to meet the practical requirements for a large number of applications in which unlimited lateral flexibility is not necessary, such as closures for garments, shoes, carrying cases, etc. When the tape stringers are properly connected with the helices, such a fastener also has the necessary strength and durability for such uses.

In a modified form, the flexible helix member is on one stringer, and the other stringer carries separate jaw members formed to interlock either between plain helices, or between helices formed with cooperating interlocking surfaces.

The accompanying drawings shows several forms of the invention wherein Fig. l is a view of a fastener embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig.3 is a detail enlarged view of the front end of one of the helical members,

Fig. 4 is a back view of Fig. 3,

Fig.5 is a view partly in section on an enlarged scale showing the manner of engaging and interlocking the coils of one helix .with those of the other,

Fig. 6 is a detail showing the manner of connecting the tape with the helix,

Fig. '7 is a view of a modification with a plain helix on one stringer,

Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 are views of a novel form of jaw member, and

Fig. 13 is a view of a modification using a helix formed with special engaging surfaces as in Fig. l, and jaw members.

Referring first to the helix construction of Figs.

1, 5, 6, 1 represents one helix, and 2 the other, preferably flattened on opposite sides as shown in Fig. 2 to thereby make the fastener thinner. The front end of each coil of the helix is provided with opposite inclined guiding surfaces 3 as shown 60 in Figs. 3 and 5, and the rear side with interlock ing surfaces 4 as shown in-Figs. 4 and 5, the surfaces 4 being separated by stop projections 5 as seen in Figs. 4 and 5 to limit the contraction of the helices when interlocked. 4

Owing to the inclination of the co-operative surfaces 4 on the front ends of each coil, it will be seen that lateral pulling strains in Fig. 5 tend to tighten up the engagement. since the succession of alternating, inclined surfaces prevents one member from riding on the other two with which it is engaged, thus providing a firm and strong fastener. As appears from Fig. 1, the helices are oppositely arranged so that the proper parallelism of the members on tangents to the coils is secured. See Figs. 3 and 4. As shown in Figs.

3 and 4, the deformation of the coils in providing the guiding surfaces 3 and engaging surfaces -4, and stops 5, somewhat expands or widens out the wire, as shown in Figs. 3'and 4. The function of so this is to give good interlocking engagement of the members, and at the same time, owing to the spacing of the coils, permit lateral flexibility without disengaging the surfaces 4. If lateral flexibility is not provided, doubling of the fas- 35 tener on itself tends to throw the interlocking members out of engagement, but with the transversely elongated surfaces 4 as shown in Fig. 4, the desired lateral flexibility is secured Without permitting disengagement.

The stringer tapes may be connected with the helices in various ways, but a preferred way is to provide a special tape, or pair of tapes 6 connected by threads '7. One way in which this can be done is to weave the tape 6 and omit some of the warp threads so as to leave only certain weft threads, as 'l. The same result can be obtained by connecting strings between tapes 6 instead of the threads 7. The purpose of this is to enable the front ends of the coils to be pushed between the threads 7, and then the tapes bent over as shown at the bottom'of Fig. 6 around a cord 8 passed through the coils, the two tapes then being sewed together at 9 with the lengths of the thread '7 so chosen as to cause the cord 8 to be compressed into the rear sides of the coils when the tapes are stitched together at 9.

10 represents a bottom connecting member of usual construction. 11 is a slider of usual construction. the outline of which is shown in dotted lines of Fig. 1, and 12 represents top stop members which may consist of U-shaped wire members interlocked at one end with the end coils and clamped on the cord 8.

In locking the fastener by. pulling the slider upward in Fig. 1, it is seen that the bottom edge of one memberrides on the surface 4 of the cooperating coil until it drops behind the interlocks, this action being progressive between each coil on one stringer, and the co-operating coil on the other, provided the helices are oppositely,

disposed on the stringers. In unlocking, the reverse action takes place, the flexibility of the coil permitting sufiicient bending in the slider to progressively disengage the interlocked members as the slider is moved toward the bottom member 10 in Fig. 1.

In Fig. '7, 13 is a plain spiral, between which interlock jaw members 14, shown in detail in Figs. 8-12, inclusive. These members comprise compressible jaws indented at 16 to grip the tape cord 17, and having interlocking projection 18, and guiding surfaces 19, 20. In Figs. 11 and 12, two projections 18 are provided, as in Fig. 5, with meeting guiding surfaces 19, 20. This latter form of member may be used with the plain helix in Fig. '7, if desired. In Fig. 13, the helices have engaging surfaces 22, as shown similar to projections 18.

While I herein show what is mathematically a spiral wire, I do not restrict myself broadly to a mathematical spiral or helix, as I intend by this term to cover broadly a structure composed of a continuously bent wire having at predetermined or regular intervals thereon guiding and interlocking formations, and at other regular intervals thereon, formations for attachment to a stringer. I further do not limit myself to the specific means of attachment herein shown between the stringer and, the continuous flexible interlocking member, as it is obvious that instead of attachment by passing cords or threads through the stringer and around loops of the continuous member, the continuous member could be provided at intervals with clenching or compressible means adapted to be connected to the stringer by clenching or compression.

Various modifications and changes may be made in the specific details shown without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim l. A coil separable fastener member having a stringer engaging portion at one side of the coil, and an interlocking portion at the other side of the coil, said interlocking portion having external inclined guiding surfaces, and interior interlocking surfaces.

2. A coil separable fastener member having a stringer engaging portion at one side of the coil, and an interlocking portion at the other side of the coil, said interlocking portion having external inclined guiding surfaces, interior interlocking surfaces, and an interposed stop projection.

3. A fastener stringer comprising a coil having its. front portions formed to engage cooperating members on another stringer, a cord within the coil, and a tape outside the coil having weft threads. carried over and around the coils and cord.

4., In a device of the character described, in combination, a fastener member having transverse teeth resiliently connected in a series longitudinally of said member and a cooperative fas- Jener member having a series of teeth, the teeth of said cooperative member adapted to be received between and held by the teeth of the other fastener member when the fastener is closed, said fastener members having devices interlocking with each other to hold said members from longitudinal displacement relative to each other and the series of teeth of said members in relative position to interengage on closing the fastener.

5. In combination, a fastening coil, a cord extending therethrough and a two-ply fabric strip having threads interwoven with each of its plies and extending through the loops of the coil and around the cord therein.

6. In an article of the class described, the combination of an elongated coiled element, an elongated member extending lengthwise through the coiled element, and a strip of fabric having a series of open spaces between the cross threads edge portions of said yoke structure being swaged to provide hook-like projections and the portions of said yoke structure adjacent and inward from said hook-like projections being swaged to provide seats for the hook-like projections of cooperating fastener units.

8. The method of mounting an elongated coiled fastener element on a stringer, which consists in arranging a cord or the like lengthwise in the coiled fastener element and then securing portions of the cord between coils of the fastener element to the folded edge of a strip of fabric.

9. In a fastener of the class described the combination of a doubled strip of fabric, an elongated coiled element extending along the folded edge of the fabric, a cord or the like extending lengthwise in the elongated coiled element, and spaced means engaging said cord between-:coils of the elongated coiled element for attaching the latter to the folded edge of the strip of fabric.

10. In a device of the class described the combination of a connected series of fastener elements, an elongated coiled member interlocked with fastener elements of said series, a cord or the like extending lengthwise in the elongated coiled member, and a strip of fabric folded around the cord in the coiled member and having the portions thereof at each side of the fold extended outside of and laterally from the coiled member and secured together close to the latter.

11. In a fastening device of the class described, the combination of an elongated coiled member, a plurality of headed elements arranged in -series, side by side, and means operable along the coiled member and series of headed elements for inserting the headed elements between the convolutions of the coiled member and withdrawing same therefrom.

12. In a fastening of the class described, the combination of two separable parts, each having a series of fastener elements secured to the edge thereof, one series of said fastener elements comprising convolutions of a coiled member, and the other series comprising separate and unconnect ed headed fastener elements, and means operable along the coiled member and series of headed fastener elements for inserting the headed elements between the convolutions of the coiled member and withdrawing same therefrom.

13. In a separable fastener, a stringer, a fastener member connected thereto comprising a continuous wire of generally circular cross-section bent at regular intervals to provide portions for engaging said stringer, and having regularly spaced portions deformed to change substantially the cross-section and thus provide interlocking means adapted to interlock with cooperating means on another fastener member.

14. In a separable fastener, a stringer, a fastener member connected thereto comprising a continuous wire of generally circular cross-section bent at regular intervals to provide loop portions for engaging said stringer and having other regularly spaced portions flattened to provide oppositely extending projections constituting interlocking means adapted to interlock with cooperating means on another fastener member.

15. In a separable fastener, a pair of stringers, a pair of helical wires attached one to each of said stringers, said wires being of generally circular cross-section and having the outer portion of each coil deformed to change substantially the cross-section and thus provide interlocking means adapted to interlock with cooperating means on the opposite helical wire.

16. In a separable fastener, a pair of stringers, a helical wire member attached to each of said stringers, the coils of said wire members overlapping each other and having the overlapping portions deformed to provide a section of non-circular cross-section to hold said coils interlocked, and a slider for progressively engaging and disengaging said wire members.

17. In a separable fastener, a pair of stringers, a helical wire fastener member attached to one of said stringers and having the outer portion of eachcoil thereof deformed into a noncircular cross-section to provide interlocking means, and individual separate interlocking members attached to the edge of the other stringer and spaced in accordance with the spacing of the coils of said helical wire, each of said individual members having interlocking means formed in its projecting portion for engaging the interlocking means of said helical wire, and a slider for engaging and disengaging said individual members and helical wire.

18. In a separable fastener, a fastener member formed from straight wire bent to U-shape to provide compressible jaws and havingthe bend deformed to provide a projection adapted to engage a cooperating member, said bend and jaws forming a recess to receive the projection of a cooperating member, and an exterior guiding surface terminating at said projection.

'19. In a nnltiple interlocking separable fastener, a flexible stringer and a seriesof individual fastener members separately attached thereto in spaced relation, each of said fastener members comprising an elongate metal strip of generally uniform cross-section bent upon itself and having a modified cross-section at the bend to provide interlocking means, the ends of said strip constituting attaching means engaging said flexible stringer.

20. In a multiple interlocking separable fastener, a flexible stringer and a series of indi vidual fastener members separately attached thereto in spaced relation, each of said fastener members comprising an elongate wire member of generally round cross-section bent upon. itself and having a non-circular cross-section at the bend to provide interlocking means, the ends of said wire constituting attaching means engaged around said flexible stringer,

21. In a multiple interlocking separable fas-. tener, a flexible stringer and a series of indi-. vidual fastener members separately attached thereto in spaced relation, each of said fastener members comprising an elongate metal strip of so generally uniform cross-section bent upon itself and having its cross-section modified at the bend to provide a projection extending parallel to the edge of said stringer and constituting interlocking means, the ends of said metal-strip being engaged around the edge of said stringer to attach said fastener member thereto. I

22. Ina multiple interlocking separable fas= tener, a flexible stringer and a series of individual fastener members separately attached theretoin spaced relation, each of said fastener members comprising an elongate wire member of generally uniform cross-section bent upon itself and having the cross-section at the bend modified to provide projections extending in an opposite direction parallel to the edge of said stringer and constituting interlocking means, the ends' of said wire member embracing the edge of said stringer to attach the fastener member thereto.

23. In a multiple interlocking separable fastener, a flexible stringer and a series of individual fastener members separately attached thereto in spaced relation, each of said fastener members comprising an elongate metal strip of generally uniform cross-section bent upon itself and having a modified cross-section at the bend to provide interlocking means, the end portions of said strip constituting parallel arms embracing the edge ofsaid flexible stringer to attach said fastener member thereto.

24. In a multiple interlocking separable fastener, a flexible stringer and a series of individual fastener members separately attached thereto in spaced relation, each of said fastener members comprising an elongate wire member of generally uniform cross-section bent upon itself and having the cross-section at the bend modified to provide a projection extending in a direction parallel to the edge of said stringer,

means forming a recess between said projection and the edge of said stringer, and meansrforming an exterior guide surface leading to said recess, the end portions .of said wire member constituting parallel arms embracing the edge of said stringer to attach said fastener member thereto.

GIDEON SIIN'DBACK. 

